Internet Safety Guidelines

These internet safety guidelines are here for your convenience. It is important to know and understand the risks of sharing your personal information online. We want you to be aware of these risks before you share on our site. We are doing this out of concern for our visitors, and these guidelines should be used no matter what site you are visiting.

Be careful when you share personal information such as your name, address and phone number. Also practice caution when you share photos online. And before you participate in online shopping or online auctions, learn as much as you can about how these work.

Internet Safety Tip #1

Online Information Sharing

When you share information on the internet such as your address and phone number, you are taking a risk that your home may be targeted for break-ins and your identity may be stolen. So be extremely careful when giving your phone number and don't post your address where it is accessible to the general public.

Giving your name, the name of your spouse and the names of your parents can cause an increased risk of identity theft as well. Be especially careful when being asked your mother's maiden name because this is often used as a password to private information. Giving your first and last name and the names of those close to you opens you and them to personal harm, fraud and identity theft.

So avoid posting highly personal and identifiable information on websites. Just ask yourself how sensitive is the information and who are you sharing it with. If the information is general in nature then go ahead submit your comment. However, if the information identifies you, your possessions, or someone else it would be best not to post it at all.

You should never identify your exact age, birth year, birth date, or social security number. Never tell the exact location of your place of work or your home address. If you need to share this information, make sure it is shared in a secure place, like a private e-mail or a secure payment page.

Never share information about others without first obtaining their permission. It is a good idea to ask your family and friends to use this same courtesy when sharing information about you online.

Internet Safety Tip #2

Online Photo Sharing

It is a good idea to cover up or crop out information such as your house number, street sign, and so on by using photo editing software.

Internet Safety Tip #3

Sharing Your Personal Feelings Online

We hope to have members share their personal feelings and emotions concerning the Rosary and their faith on this site. But it is always a good idea to keep in mind who you are sharing with on this and any site. Before you submit any comments, remember they are there for everyone to read. If it is something better kept private do not post it. It may be helpful to sample a few pages before you submit your comment to see what material is typically displayed. When deciding what information about yourself you would like to share, remember there is public access to this site.

Internet Safety Tip #4

Online Shopping

Shopping online for the first time can be a scary thing. But if you follow these tips you have nothing to worry about and you are sure to enjoy the convenience and pleasure online shopping can bring.

Check out the site's reputation. If a friend or aquaintance has had a possitive experience with the online retailer, you likely will to. If you found the site online and it isn't a brick and mortar store like Sears, a little investigating is a good idea. There are sites actually dedicated to reviewing online retailers like BizRate, Epinions and Better Business Bureau. The National Fraud Information Center is also a good place to look into online retailers credibility.

All legitimate online merchants offer secure transactions. Look for two assurances to see if you are on a secure site. The URL should show Https: when you are making a purchase and there should be a lock symbol in the lower left corner of your screen.

You should be suspicious if the online retailer asks you for more information than would be normally required during a transaction. Never give your social security or driver’s license numbers.

It is a good idea to use a payment service like PayPal or a credit card for payment rather than a debit card, check, cashiers check, wire transfer, or money order. PayPal allows you to register with them and then pay companies through them without ever exposing your credit card number keeping your financial information safe.

Credit cards are a good idea as well because in the event your financial information is stolen, your liability for unauthorized charges will not exceed $50.

And finally be sure you understand the company’s shipping methods. What carriers do they use? What are their shipping rates? Also check to see if they provide tracking information and insurance for lost or damaged shipments.

Internet Safety Tip #5

Online Auctions- click here to learn more...

We are providing these internet safety guidelines in an effort to keep all the members of our Rosary Community safe. You know the old adage, "It's better to be safe than sorry."

We hope that you found this informational and we hope you continue to share on our pages and to feel confident if you desire to purchase anything from our affiliates. The internet is a wonderful tool and like all tools it is best to read and follow the safety precautions.

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